Cathodic protection systems are known in the art to protect metal structure, and particularly underground metal structures by creating an electrochemical cell with the protected metal structure as the cathode of the electrochemical cell. By electrically securing a sacrificial anode to the metal structure one can create an electrochemical cell that largely limits the corrosion to the anode rather than the cathode i.e. the metal structure.
Examples of cathodic system that protect underground systems are shown in Hunter U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,361; Marsh et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,931; and Dukat U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,444. Typically, the anode, which is referred to as the sacrificial anode, corrodes while the metal structure is spared. In order for the system to operate properly the metal structure, which is spaced from the sacrificial anode, needs to be in electrical communication with the sacrificial anode. In a great many instance this involves joining an electrical lead such as a conductor cable from the metal structure (cathode) to a metal conductor extending from the sacrificial anode. In order to maintain the cathodic protection system and prevent corrosion at the junction of the wire connectors, which are usually heavy wire cables, one needs to maintain a waterproof, electrically insulated seal around the cable junction between the wire conductor from the metal structure and the wire conductor from the anode. The junction is usually located underground between the protected metal structure (cathode) and the sacrificial anode and needs to be protected from the hostile underground environments including freezing and thawing of the soil which can cause expansion and contraction of the soil around the wire connector which can cause the wire junction in the wire connector to slip and expose the electrical junction to the underground environment thereby rendering the cathodic protection system ineffective. In general, the creation of cathodic protection systems can create unique field problems not only due to the hostile underground environment but also to the inexperienced or personnel unfamiliar to electrical connections who may be called upon to form a cable connection between the metal structure and the sacrificial anode as they bury a pipe line or the like.
One of the difficulties in creation of cathodic protection system is to ensure that when the system is installed in the field that all the underground electrical connections are properly secured and that the electrical junctions are and remain in a waterproofed condition. While some wire connectors require special tools, others require a lengthy time for a resin to set. In contrast, the present invention provides for an immediate on-the-go and convenient waterproof field securement of electrical conductors, which are often large cables, to each other. In addition the wire connector of the present invention ensures the electrical junction can remain protected from an underground environment as the wire connector maintains a waterproof seal around the electrical junction in a changing underground environment even though the persons assembling the electrical connectors may not be skilled in the electrical art.